title: Characteristics and drinking patterns of veterans with alcohol dependence with and without post-traumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Alcohol use disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are highly prevalent and commonly co-occur, notably in veterans. We explored differences in the pre-treatment characteristics of veterans with alcohol dependence (AD) alone compared to those with co-occurring AD and PTSD. Veterans were recruited to participate in two different treatment studies and baseline characteristics were compared. Those with co-occurring illnesses demonstrated significantly higher pre-treatment pathology across all psychopathological domains. While those with AD alone averaged more days of drinking and had more heavy drinking days, those with co-occurring illnesses reported more drinking-related symptoms. The presence of a major depressive episode had no effect on drinking. Within the PTSD group, combat exposure was associated with increased drinking independent of the severity of PTSD symptoms. This study underscores the importance of screening for comorbidity in clinical treatment settings, and for collecting detailed drinking histories and assessing psychiatric symptoms across all domains of psychopathology.
authors.affiliation: VISN I Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, and Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 950 Campbell Ave, #116-A, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fuehrlein
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ralevski
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: J Serrita
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jane
authors.forename: Albert J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: Ismene L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Petrakis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010919:Placebos; D011224:Prazosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D010919:Placebos; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D008464:Mecamylamine; D011224:Prazosin
keywords: Alcohol dependence; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Veterans